Throughout history humanity has sought to improve the standard facilities provided for the elimination of excretory waste so as to maintain an appropriate level of personal hygiene and personal comfort during excretion. As indoor plumbing has become virtually universally available, the flush toilet, with its familiar tank, bowl, and: seat construction, has come to be standardized into a particular configuration. Waste is deposited through an opening in the seat into the bowl, and water is released from the tank to flush the waste down a pipe into a sewer or septic system.
After excretion of waste, the common practice for purposes of good personal hygiene and social acceptance is to utilize a quantity of soft paper tissue to remove any waste remaining in the perianal area by shifting one's weight to one side, lifting the other side from the seat, and reaching, tissue in hand, to the perianeum.
For a person of average agility and strength, this process is accomplished most easily. However, a number of factors, many of which are seen in increasing numbers of the population, may make the wiping process more difficult. For example, obesity, the frailty of old age, or a physical handicap may cause the person varying degrees of difficulty in accomplishing the required task. For persons in such a position, the possibility of debilitating injury or severe discomfort while attempting to accomplish this particular life function is an invitation to disregard good personal hygiene. If the condition is severe enough, then the assistance of another person may be required to perform what for most people is among the most private and personal actions they take in their entire lives.
The difference between being able to live without the assistance of others and needing comprehensive and embarrassing personal care help often can be measured by minor details of living. For example, a person who is confined to a wheelchair might be able to be self-sufficient by modifying that person's home by, for instance, eliminating steps at entranceways, thresholds, and narrow spaces. In the context of the present invention, much of the problem arises from the fact that the hand must be inserted into a relatively small space, the size of which is defined by the person's ability to create it by sitting awkwardly. This is largely a function of conventional toilet design.
What is needed is a toilet seat that permits easier access to the person's underside, in order to maximize the opportunity for good personal hygiene.